Ph.D., Chongqing University

Helen/Lanboling Guo (guol AT ohsu.edu)

Ph.D., Nanyang Technological University

Helen joined the Zhong lab in April 2024 as a postdoctoral fellow. She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the School of Biological Science, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where she studied how interneurons in the cerebellum are involved in non-motor functions. She then went to the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at the same University, studied cerebellar-related motor control, and tested behaviors and vasculature changes in several disease models. In the Zhong lab, Helen plans to explore the role of PKA in neuronal activities during locomotion with two-photon imaging. Outside the lab, Helen likes cooking and hiking.

Zilong Liu (liuzi AT ohsu.edu)

MBBS, Peking University

Zilong joined the Zhong lab in July 2025 as a graduate student. He earned his MBBS in Neurobiology from the School of Basic Medical Sciences at Peking University, where he studies cortical Fos ensemble in memory and nociception. In the Zhong lab, he will investigate the source of striatal purinergic signaling in vivo and how it modulates locomotion. Outside the lab, Zilong enjoys reading and hiking.

Maozhen Qin (qinm AT ohsu.edu)

Bachelor in Nursing

Maozhen obtained a bachelor's degree in nursing in China and has been working as a research assistant since 2008. She joined the Mao and Zhong labs in 2011 where she quickly became the "go-to" person for genotyping, culturing slices, performing animal surgeries, and maintaining the inventory of lab supplies. She became lab manager in 2014. Outside of work, Maozhen enjoys camping and hiking.

Yinghan Xiao (xiaoy AT ohsu.edu)

M.S., University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Yinghan joined the Zhong Lab as a Ph.D. student in December 2024. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Southern University of Science and Technology and his master's degree from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he focused on fluorescent protein engineering. He developed an intensity-based inositol triphosphate sensor using a novel design strategy. At the lab, his focus is on developing more fluorescent sensors for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) and applying them in neuroscience research. Outside the lab, Yinghan enjoys hiking, camping, and esports.

Takaki Yahiro (yahiro AT ohsu.edu)

M.D., Ph.D.

Takaki joined the Zhong lab in October 2023 as a postdoctoral fellow. He received his M.D., Ph.D. from Nagoya University in Japan, where his graduate study focused on the afferent neural pathway for behavioral thermoregulation. He will investigate the PKC-mediated neural modulation in the cortex with a newly improved PKC sensor and in vivo 2-photon lifetime. Outside the lab, Takaki often explores restaurants and tries new cuisines in Portland.

Yizhou Zhuo (zhuoy AT ohsu.edu)

Ph.D., Peking University

Yizhou joined Zhong lab in July 2024 as a postdoctoral fellow. She earned her Ph.D. at the School of Life Sciences, Peking University, where her graduate study mainly focuses on the development of genetically-encoded dopamine sensors. Yizhou developed a suite of green and red dopamine sensors that enable sensitive dopamine detection across multiple brain areas and dual-color imaging in combined use with other optical sensors in vivo, which therefore provide a robust tool for better understanding the dopamine system. Yizhou plans to continuously work on tool development but shifting her interest from generating optical sensors for probing extracellular transmission to optical actuators that are able to manipulate intracellular signaling processes. Outside of work, Yizhou enjoys traveling and tasty foods.